Disclaimer: This information is for general guidance only and should not be considered legal or professional advice.
Teaching in B.C.
Provincial Teaching Regulations
The Teachers Act in B.C. is a legislative framework that governs the certification, conduct and competence of educators in the province’s kindergarten to Grade 12 (K-12) education system. It identifies five key organizations that play a vital role in how teachers are certified and regulated in B.C.
Certification Process
To become a certified teacher in British Columbia, you need to have your application documents assessed and processed by three different organizations. For each of these organizations, you will need to register to access their services.
- Ministry of Education and Child Care – Teacher Regulation Branch
- Pathways to Teach Canada
- B.C. Teacher Qualification Service
The Teacher Regulation Branch (TRB) is part of British Columbia’s Ministry of Education and Child Care. A candidate for teacher certification in B.C., including internationally educated teachers, must submit their application to the TRB.
The TRB will provide information on the documents required to support your application, evaluate your submission and notify you of your certification status.
Learn more about certification on the Teaching in British Columbia website.
Pathways to Teach Canada is a single-entry point for internationally educated teachers interested in teaching in Canada. Pathways provides a path to evaluate professional qualifications, academic credentials and language competency, if necessary, and subsequently provide the TRB with a credential assessment.
Pathways is also where you can manage and submit your transcripts and professional documents, track the status of your assessment process and receive updates.
If the TRB requests a Pathways Credential Assessment, apply for the Credential Assessment first. Once the TRB has reviewed that document, they will determine if you also need to complete the Language Competency Assessment for the Teaching Profession (LCATP) – also done by Pathways.
If you are applying for an Independent School Teaching Certificate, you may be required to submit a Pathways to Teach Credential Report.
After receiving their teaching certificate, a teacher seeking employment in B.C.’s public schools must apply to the Teacher Qualification Service (TQS).
TQS is jointly supported by the BC School Trustees Association and the BC Teachers’ Federation. The organization evaluates teachers’ education and experience to determine their salary level. Documents must be provided separately to both the TQS and TRB.
This step is not required for working in Independent or First Nations schools.
Timelines and Costs
The time required to process and assess documents by the TRB, Pathways and TQS varies. Click on the links below to see current processing times for each.
As of 2025, the total minimum cost for the combined services provided by Pathways, the Teacher Regulation Branch (TRB) and the Teacher Qualification Service (TQS) is approximately $800 CAD.
For the cost associated with each organization’s services, click on the links below.
- Teacher Regulation Branch (TRB)
- Pathways to Teach Canada (Pathways)
- Teacher Qualification Service (TQS)
You may also need to pay additional fees to the institutions/organizations where you finished your education and received your teacher certification, such as translation services, costs to get a copy of your academic transcript, etc.
Certificate holders with non-expiring certificates are responsible for paying annual practice fees to maintain their B.C. teacher certification. Additionally, all educators who wish to retain their B.C. teacher certification must authorize a criminal record check every five years.
Related Links
Disclaimer: This information on this webpage is for general guidance only and should not be considered legal or professional advice.